Ask Ramit: {How can you} practice improving social skills?

Read on for {the best} guide {to apply} your social skills.

Earlier this week, I was at a {social gathering} with {several} friends. {WHEN I} was sitting {in my own} usual position of reclining, drinking and telling dirty jokes, I spotted my mortal enemy: an avocado.

“Hey,” I asked {my pal}, “{is it possible to} show me {how exactly to} cut an avocado?”

Twice this week, {I acquired} an avocado {delivered to} me. {The very first time|The 1st time}, {I simply} {viewed} it and threw it in the trash. I don’t {understand how to|learn how to} cut that shit.

The second time, I realized this avocado probably cost me like $10, {therefore i} tried {to determine} {how exactly to} eat it. I started cutting it {as an} orange, only the slivers were too thin and I had no idea {how to proceed}. {I QUICKLY} cut {in to the} middle and found a pit ({that i} {didn’t} expect). By {this aspect}, I was yelling and cursing, and I threw the gutted remains angrily {in to the} trash.

If you’re wondering HOW {ARE YOU CURRENTLY} EVEN ALIVE RAMIT?? {you’re} right. {I’ve} {hardly any} idea how I {managed to get} this far in this life. Anyway, imagine the glint {in my own} eye when I spotted that soon-to-be-cut avocado on my friend’s kitchen counter. She showed me {just how} to cut it into beautiful chunks, and {another} morning I {slice the} first avocado of {my entire life}.

View my Ultimate Guide to Social Skills {the following} and {learn to} practice your social skills.

Why am I {letting you know} this? Am I turning {this web site} {right into a} cooking blog?

No. It’s because {the majority of us|many of us} can laugh {and revel in} {a tale} about Dumb Ramit {being unsure of} {how exactly to} cut an avocado…but {just how many} {folks} don’t {understand how to|learn how to} do something {rather than} ask {one to} teach them?

This happens with money, careers, {health}, and most {of most}, social skills.

Think {about any of it}:

• When was {the final} time you asked someone {steps to make} small talk?
• Have you ever systematically studied someone who’s {excellent} with people…then deconstructed how they {take action}? (Or {can you} consider that too “weird”?)
• How {a lot of us} have fallen back on the crutch that “I’m shy” or “I dunno {easily} {is going} out tonight…ugh…I’d rather just watch TV” – {and} wondered what we missed {from}?

It’s fascinating {if you ask me} that social skills are {probably one of the most|perhaps one of the most} important skills {we are able to} develop – maybe {The most crucial} skill – yet we rarely {consider it} as a teachable, learnable skill {that people} can improve on.

Who here has {gone to} {a celebration} where you didn’t know {a huge amount of} people, {and you also} weren’t sure {what things to} say? Or feeling tense {throughout a} social situation, then endlessly analyzing {all you} said afterwards {and also} cringing?

All {folks}.

That’s why {I needed} {to speak about} systematically improving social skills.

Today’s Ask Ramit question {originates from} Richard.

“{What exactly are} {the best|among the best} {methods to} practice the social skills you suggest – {sufficient reason for} that, {how can you} deal with {the original} bumps? So {lots of the} things you {reveal} {to accomplish} are {an easy task to} practice. But social skills require {another person}. If it’s {no longer working}, {how do you} {keep carefully the} motivation {to use} again?”

Watch my video response. I’ll {demonstrate} exactly how {it is possible to} practice and {enhance your} social skills before {you truly} have to {utilize them} in {real life}. My advice may surprise you.

What’s your biggest social skill or networking challenge?

• How to network at cocktail parties?
• How {to create} small talk {within an} interview?
• How {to boost} {the body} language when you’re meeting someone for {the very first time}?

Leave your biggest social skill or networking questions in the comments below, and I’ll record answers to {as much as} {I could}.